1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a portable book light and, more particularly, to an improved book light that enables a reader to illuminate pages of a paperback book while the book is folded back upon itself in addition to being removably mountable to a book spine for reading paperback books and hardbound books.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, portable book lights are usually removably mounted in some manner to a book and provide a reader a light source for night reading that will minimally disturb other persons in the room. Book lights also have the advantage of a light source that is close to the book and adjustable over the pages being read. A reader commonly holds the book in an unfolded book reading position which entails having both opposing book pages open and facing the reader. Another common and desired reading position for use with paperback books and magazines is a folded book reading position which entails folding the book back upon itself so that one page faces the reader and the opposing page faces generally in a direction opposite of the reader. Readers of paperbacks, magazines, etc., commonly use the folded book reading position because the book can be easily held in one hand while reading. Readers using the folded book reading position will typically read for several minutes while holding the book with a right or left hand and then switch to the other hand for several minutes, thereby, significantly reducing cumulative hand and arm fatigue. Since book lights are commonly used while reading in bed, readers also desire a book light that operates proficiently with the reader in various positions such as sitting up or lying on their back, side or stomach.
Additionally, readers desire to use book lights that are light weight to reduced hand and arm fatigue. Readers also desire a small and compact book light that does not get in the way of holding the book, turning the pages, and folding the book back upon itself. Readers also desire a book light that is comfortable to use and does not fill a room with too much light so as to disturb a sleeping partner. Readers also desire a light source that is centered over the book pages of a book in the open book reading position to provide generally equal illumination of the opposing pages. Readers also desire a light source that is stable, having minimal wobble or bounce, and if the book is held open at varying angles the resultant light drift across the page will also be minimal. Furthermore, readers also desire a light source that is easily positioned over the pages of a book being read in the folded book reading position. Moreover, readers desire a book light that incorporates and enables all the aforementioned desired features and operations.
Many attempts have been made in prior art to address the problems associated with providing a book light having the aforementioned reader desired features and operations. However, prior art has selectively addressed these problems and has not provided a solution that encompasses all associated problems. Moreover, some reader desired features, such as enabling reading in the folded book reading position, have not been specifically addressed in the prior art.
The prior art discloses several categories of book lights that can be generally described by the method in which the book light is mounted to the book and include book cover types, clip-on types, friction mounting types, and types that do not come in contact with the book. Examples of book holder type book lights, commonly referred to as book cover or book enclosure book lights, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,847 to Nahmias (1971), U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,312 to Weinstein (1974), U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,145 to Wise (1975), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,681 to Fisherman et al. (1987) and are usable for reading in the unfolded book reading position. However, the covers, support structure, and attachment mechanisms of these devices are bulky and restrictive do not enable the reader to efficiently fold a paperback book back upon itself for reading in the folded book reading position. Additionally, because these devices generally cover or enclose the book they are substantially large and heavy and contribute significantly to reader hand and arm fatigue.
Examples of clip-on type book lights are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,042 to Zeller (1984) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,037 to Chen (1997). These book lights are mountable to a book cover or a book cover plus a group of pages and are commonly used with hardcover and paperback books. Since these book lights mount to only one side of a book cover or pages, this would allow the paperback book to be folded back upon itself for reading in the folded book reading position. However, these book lights have no effective provision for repositioning the light source over each newly turned page of a folded book. When turning pages while reading in the folded book reading position, these book lights would need to be removed from one cover and clipped back on the opposing cover to illuminate each newly turned page, a highly cumbersome use requirement. Additionally, because these book lights are designed to attach to a flimsy cover and pages of a paperback book, the clip-on mechanisms are made excessively wide to keep light source wobble and bounce to a minimum. A further disadvantage of mounting to the cover and pages of a book is that an off-center mounted light source inherently causes unequal illumination of opposing pages in the open book reading position. Additionally, the off-center mounted light source will drift undesirably across the pages if the reader effects even small changes in the angle in which the book is held open.
Examples of clip-on type book lights designed for use with hardcover books are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,744 to Langdon et al. (1951) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,662 to Melamed et al. (1952). These patents disclose book lights that simultaneously clip-on to both opposing outside covers of a hardcover book. The Langdon book light further provides an example of prior art center mounting the book light to produce equal illumination on opposing pages. The Melamed book light accomplishes equal page illumination by providing a separate light source for each opposing page. However, both these devices, because they mount to both opposing covers of the book, would hold the book in the unfolded reading position and not enable the reader to efficiently fold the book back upon itself. Although not the disclosed use, the clip mechanisms disclosed in these patents appear that they could alternatively be mounted to the cover or pages of a paperback book so the paperback could be folded back upon itself. However, the aforementioned disadvantages of Zeller and Chen for off-center paperback book cover and page mounting would apply.
Additionally, the Langdon and Melamed patents disclose book lights that are substantially bulky and heavy.
Another example of a center mounted clip-on book light book for use with hardcover books is disclosed in Japan Patent 05-006701 to Hideo (1993). This patent describes a gap that is formed between a binding section of a page and a central inner surface of a cover when a hardcover book is opened. The patent discloses an attachment clip, like the clip of pocket writing materials, that clips onto the cover and slides into the aforementioned gap. However, this gap does not form when a paperback book is opened and therefore the clip attachment cannot be used as disclosed for paperback books. Since the clip is designed to be used on the flat and thin surfaces of a hardcover book cover it seems reasonable that it could alternatively be mounted to the cover or pages of a paperback book, which, would allow the paperback book to be folded back upon itself. However, again the aforementioned disadvantages of Zeller and Chen for off-center paperback book cover and page mounting would apply.
An example of a friction mounting book light is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,416 to Hartley et al. (1994). This patent discloses a lighting device that can be used as a book light and a bookmark for marking a position in a closed book. This book light is generally wide and flat in configuration, slides in-between pages, and is held in place essentially by friction between the pages or by hand pressure. Since this book light rests between the pages on only one side of the book, this would allow a paperback book to be folded back upon itself for reading in the folded book reading position. However, again the aforementioned disadvantages of Zeller and Chen for off-center paperback book cover and page mounting would apply.
Numerous examples of lighting devices that do not come in contact with the book exist in the prior art. Some of these include desk lamps, bed mounted lamps, flashlights, head mounted lamp, ear mounted lamps, and lamps worn around a person's neck or that rest on a person's chest. All of these would allow reading in the folded book reading position since there is no lighting device mounted to the book to hinder this operation. However, each of these lighting devices have their own significant disadvantages. The following examples, although not all inclusive, provide the background for which the clip-on book light field of invention exists today and is commercially viable. For example, desk lamps and bed post mounted lamps flood a room with too much light and can disturb the reader's partner trying to sleep. Flashlights need to be held, a highly cumbersome use requirement. Head and ear mounted lighting devices can become very uncomfortable to wear after even short periods. And lastly, lamps that are worn around the neck or rest on a person's chest do not work well if a person reads on their back or side.
Hence, the prior art devices are inadequate for meeting the needs of readers as described in the aforementioned reader desired features and operations. As discussed, prior art devices that meet some of these needs suffer a number of other disadvantages. Accordingly, there remains a need for a book light that enables folding a paperback book back upon itself so the book can be held with one hand for reducing hand and arm fatigue, provides an efficient and convenient mechanism for repositioning the light source while reading in the folded book reading position, removably mounts to the center of a book for equal illumination while reading in the open book reading position, is lightweight and compact, and has a stable light source that also drifts minimally with the angle the book is held open.